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y 1933. E. F. ALLEN 1,908,879

SHOW WINDOW Filed March 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 49/ J0 j f g I 13 g.11;

Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES Fina-T o-FF cEf EAR-LE F/ALLEN, orCAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, Assmnoa To A nnN-nnnw 60., OFCAMB DGE;MAssAcnnsErTs, A conrose'rion or MASSACHUSETTS snow wrnno'w" Applicationfiled March 6, 1931. Serial No. 520,553.

Thisinvention relates to display windows for thefronts of show rooms orthe like,- and hasfor its principal object the provision of a verticallymovable window arranged to close a window opening in thefront of abuilding or to be moved downwardly through a slot in the floor to aposition beneath the floor level, so that vehicles such as automobilesmaybe driven from the street or sidewalk through the window opening andonto the floor of the showroom. A further object is to provide automaticoperating mechanism for quickly raising and lowering the window, thismechanisnrpreferably being located beneath the window opening, forexample in the basement of the building, so that the apparatus may beinstalledin previously erected buildings without dismantling the wallsof thebuilding or necessitating other material changes in its structure.Such disposition of the operating mechanism also afiiordsready access tothe machinery and permits the employment of a rotatable shaftwhichprefen ably extends parallel to the window and is P provided withelevating devices which react upon the window at opposite sidesof itsvertical center, and intermediate its ends, thereby insuring steady anduniform vertical movement of the window. i

it recommended embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings of a dropping window associated with a buildingfront having a window opening leadingfrom an interior show room to theexterior sidewalk. In said drawings: 7

Fig. 1; is a vertical section through the fou'ndationof the building,showing the movable window and its operating mechanism in frontelevation;

Fig. 2 is a: central vertical section through the structure shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is aplan view of a motor driving unit and associated elements ofthe elevating-mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through one of the sides of thewind'owframe, illustrating a guideway for the window; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of a rotatable drum forming part of the elevatingapparatus.

- In the particular ,embodiment chosen for guides in case of necessity,-and to protect the the purpose of illustration, the window is arrangedat the front wall 11 ofa building provided with a show room having itsfloor 12 approximately at the level of the exterior sidewalk 13 andhaving a front window opening of substantial size communicating througha narrow vertical opening 14 in the floor or sill 12 with the basementof the building. The window opening is bordered at the sides by thebuilding front 11 and at the top by a panel 15 forming part of the front11. The window sash comprises top and bottom members 16 and 17respectively, and side strips 18,'the bottom strip 17 extendingdownwardly into the opening 14 when the window is fully closed asshown-in the drawings, and the closed'window accordingly has theappearance of a permanent installation. A flexiblesealing strip 18 ma befastened to the sidewalk along the bottom strip 17 to' prevent dirt ormoisture from entering the opening 14:. v

Guideways 19 extend vertically along the opposite sides of the windowopening and downwardly through the sill opening .14 into the basement,preferably terminating in a narrow recess or well20 in the basementfloor 21, thereby permittingthe window toslide downwardlybetween theguides so that the upper sash strip-lfiwill lie within the opening 14,beneath the surface of the floor 12, when the window is in its lowermostposition. The guides 19 may comprise angle irons formed to provide threeparallel elongate channels including a central channel 22 and sidegrooves 23, as best shown in Fig. 4;; and elongate metal strips 2d, eachhaving a centraltongue25 and parallelside tongues 26 received within thecomplemental channels, may be'mounte'd on the outer edges ofthe sashstrips 18. The centraltongue 25 preferably has a sliding fit withinitsgroove22; whereas'the sidetongues'26 may be smaller than the grooves 23to serve as auxiliary main guide members against damage from externalcontacts as well as from dirt and moisture. V I V a The basestrip 17 ofthewindow preferably has several depending legs or brackets 27 braced bydiagonal struts 28 and mounting pulleys or anti-friction members 29 attheir lower ends, the pulleys being located at opposite sides of thecenter of the window. Supporting cables 30, attached at one end to thefoundation 31 as at 32, extend downwardly around said pulleys and thenceupwardly to and around drums 33 splined to a horizontal shaft 34journaled in brackets 35 mounted beneath the foundation 36 of the" floor12. The opposite end'of each cable 30 may be secured to its drum bypassing said end through an opening in the side of the drum and clampingor knotting the projecting end as indicated at 37 of Fig. 5. Thus thewindow may be raised or lowered by rotating the shaft34 to decrease orincrease the effective length of the cables 30, and it may be heldstationary at any desired position by restraining rotation of the shaft.These purposesv may be attained by avariety of operative mechanisms inaccordance with common practice.

It will be observed that the shaft 34 is substantially as long as thewindow and extends parallel thereto beneath the window opening, and thatthe drums 33 are mounted upon the shaft atlopposite sides of thevertical center of the window in operative relationship to the pulleys29. Hence, the operative force exerted upon the window by winding orunwinding the cables 30 upon the drums 33 is applied uniformly along theentire length of 3 the balanced window and at points intersitionby-means of a counterweight 38 which is vertically movable in a skeletoncage 39 mounted on the basement floor 21. A counterweight cable 40,fixed at one end 41 to the foundation 26, passes under a pulley 42 onthe counterweight and thence upwardly over a drum 43 mounted on theshaft 34, the opposite end of the cable being attached to said drum inthe manner aforesaid. The inertia of the counterweight'is preferablysuflicient to overbalance the weight of the window, thereby to relievestrain on the operating mechanism when the window is closed.

The operating mechanism may include an electric motor unit mounted upona suitable support 44 adj acent'the shaft 34 and comprising a reversiblemotor 45 having a shaft 46 passing through electrically-operativebraking mechanism 47 to a gear box 48; complemental worm and spur gearsin the gear box operating a driving shaft 49 extending parallel to thedriven shaft 34; and mutually engaging gears 50 and 51 mounted on therespective shafts 49 and 34. The precise construction and arrangement ofthe elements of the motor unit and the electrical circuits associatedtherewith, which may include a switch box 52, a threebutton controlswitch 53 and an automatic cut-out 54 controlled by the driving shaft49, form'no part of the present invention.

When the window 10 is closed, operation of the motor rotates shaft 34and its drums 33 and 43, pulling up the counterweight by shorteningcable 40 and allowing the window gradually to slide downwardly upon itsreleased supporting cables 30 until the motor is stopped by pressing oneof the buttons of switch 53 or by the automatic cut-out 54 when thewindowreaches its lowermost position. In its lowered position, the uppersash strip 16 of the window is beneath the floor level 12, as aforesaid,sothat an automobile may be driven into or out of the show room throughthe window opening. Upon reversing the motor, the window is slowlyelevated I and the counterweight is permitted to descend by relaxationof its cable.

By the simple and efficient arrangement above described, a displaywindow may be moved'upwardly or downwardly in a vertical direction toclose or open a large sized opening in the front of a building and allowthe entrance or exit of vehicles to or from a show room behind theopening. The operating apparatus may be easily installed in anunderlying basement or other enclosure where it occupies a minimum ofspace and is readily accessible for adjustment or repair. Owing tothedisposition of the automatic mechanism beneath the window opening andthe preferred arrangement of the operating devices, it is not necessarythat the building walls be unusually thick to accommodate pulleys,cables or other mechanical elements; yet the worklng parts are allconcealed from the view of persons passing the window or entermg theshow room. Hence, the entire apparatus may be readily installed in anexistingbuilding without excessive reconstruction or remodeling of itswalls or foundations, and the closed window presents substantially novisible indication that it is not a permanent and fixed installation.The window affords clear inspection of the cars displayed in the floorof the show room. The operation of the window is smooth anduninterrupted, and its movement may be controlled automatically as bymeans of a remotely located switch. a r

' It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In association with a window movable from open to closed positionthrough an opening in a sill, window operating mechanism located beneaththe sill and comprising a horizontal shaft substantially as long as thewindow and extending parallel thereto, drums fixed to said shaft,pulleys secured to the bottom of said window, window elevating cablesattached at one end to the individual drums and passing around saidpulleys with their opposite ends fixed at a point above the lower edgeof the fully elevated window, said pulleys and drums being arranged inpairs disposed on opposite sides of the vertical center line of thewindow, and means for rotating the shaft to raise or lower the window.

2. In association with a Window movable from open to closed positionthrough an opening in the sill, window operating mechanism locatedbeneath the sill and comprising a horizontal shaft extending parallel tosaid window, anti-friction members secured to the lower end of saidwindow, window elevating cables adapted to be wound about said shaft forraising said window, said cables extending transversely beneath andengaging said anti-friction members on said window on opposite sides ofits vertical center, one end of said cables being secured to a pointabove the lower edge of the fully elevated window, and means forrotating said shaft in either direction to raise or lower said window.

3. In association with a window movable from open to closed positionthrough an opening in the sill, window operating mechanism locatedbeneath the sill and comprising a horizontal shaft extending parallel tosaid window, anti-friction members secured to the lower end of saidwindow on opposite sides of its vertical center, cables adapted to bewound aboutesaid shaft for raising said window, said cables extendingtransversely beneath and slidably engaging said antifriction members onthe lower end of said window, the opposite end of each cable being fixedto a point above the lower edge of the fully elevated window, and meansdisposed beneath said sill for rotating said shaft in either directionto raise or lower said window.

4. In association with a window movable from open to closed positionthrough an opening in the sill, window operating mechanism locatedbeneath the sill and comprising a horizontal shaft extending parallel tosaid window, pulleys secured to the bottom of said window on oppositesides of its vertical center, drums on said shaft, window elevating

